Hamilton's City of Angels drug-recovery nonprofit brought back a program specifically for veterans.
HAMILTON - City of Angels has resumed a substance-abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder recovery program for veterans who may not "always click in a regular meeting," the nonprofit's founder Kevin Meara said.
"There's a special bond between veterans," he said.
Meara said he brought the program - called Warrior Down - back two weeks ago after seeing a need for it to resume. The original program had "tapered off" a few years ago.
He said City of Angels originally had a support meeting for veterans, but this wasn't enough this time around. Twelve people have signed up for the Warrior Down program so far and they will have access to any help they need - such as medical treatment - just like any other City of Angels group member.
The first meeting was held two weeks ago for Warrior Down and Meara said eight people were present.
City of Angels - based in Hamiton - was founded by Meara and his wife Maryann to help recovering drug addicts after their son, KC Meara, died at the age 28 of a heroin overdose in 2008. They dedicate their lives now to ensure what happened to their son, does not happen to the people they come in contact with.
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"Warrior Down had a special meaning for me," Meara said. "No veteran left behind, just as no soldier gets left behind on the battlefield."
Meara said veterans diagnosed with PTSD often are treated unfairly, something he helps the service men and women in his group overcome. Men and women with PTSD are honorably discharged from service, gaining no access to benefits, he said.
"Our men and women deserve a lot more than being dumped to the curb," Meara said.
On Tuesday, Meara traveled to Toms River with a few of the group's members to push for the establishment of a court just for veterans.
"We think it's important that they find the need for a Veterans Court, which is kind of like a drug court but for veterans," Meara said.
In 2011, a bill was passed to set up the N.J. PSTD Veteran Task Force which led to the first Superior Court-level judicial divisionary program for veterans in the state. This program - beginning Jan. 1- will seek strategies to provide veterans with PTSD charged with low-level offenses with counseling instead of jail time.
As for his new program, currently Meara said City of Angels is spreading information about Warrior Down through word of mouth.
"We're just going to let it grow into whatever it goes into," he said.
Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
